Garma urged: Tell everything now

MANILA, Philippines — Officials of the House of Representatives’ quad committee have urged retired police colonel Royina Garma to tell everything now that she has revealed an alleged rewards system for police officers who kill drug suspects during the past administration.

In a statement on Monday, House committee on human rights chairperson and Manila Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr. reminded Garma of her own remarks—that the truth shall set her free—which were uttered during the quad committee hearing last Friday.

According to Abante, he believes Garma’s statements were just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what she knows about extrajudicial killings (EJKs) during the term of former president Rodrigo Duterte.

READ: Napolcom’s Leonardo, Garma tagged in killing of PCSO’s Barayuga

“Retired Colonel Garma’s explosive testimony last Friday linking former President Duterte and his close aide Sen. Bong Go to extrajudicial killings during the previous administration could be just the tip of the iceberg. This is just the beginning of a deeper inquiry into a more alarming issue: the alleged participation of higher officials in EJKs. There is much more to uncover, and we are committed to getting to the bottom of these serious allegations,” Abante said.

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“As she has declared, the truth will set her free. We welcome such a declaration, and we hope she will begin to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth. She should not cover up the sins of her former superiors, the former president included,” he added.

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Quad committee lead presiding officer and Surigao Del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers said that he is personally interested in knowing if the order to kill former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) board secretary Wesley Barayuga came from Garma or Duterte.

Killing of Barayuga

Last September 27, Police Lt. Col. Santie Mendoza claimed that Garma and resigned National Police Commission official and former police colonel Edilberto Leonardo masterminded the killing of Barayuga.

Barayuga was PCSO board secretary when Garma was general manager of the office. Both Garma and Leonardo have denied knowledge and involvement in the killing.

READ: Cop regrets following PNPA senior’s order to kill PCSO’s Barayuga

“We want retired Col. Garma to comment on the detailed testimonies of Lt. Colonel Mendoza and Mr. Mariano, and of course on other EJK cases,” Barbers said.

Barbers also urged Garma to reveal what she knows about the killing of the three Chinese nationals detained at the Davao Prison and Penal Farm back in 2016.

In a previous quad committee hearing, self-confessed hitman Leopoldo Tan said a certain SPO4 Arthur Narsolis—his high school classmate—supposedly relayed to him the orders to kill the Chinese nationals. Tan said he heard Bureau of Corrections S/Supt. Gerardo Padilla talking over the phone with former president Rodrigo Duterte—who congratulated the prison officials for a job well done.

READ: Duterte ordered killing of 3 Chinese men in 2016, hitman claims

3 Chinese drug lords

“She should also tell us what she knows about the murder of three Chinese drug lords inside the Davao prison in August 2016. She has been implicated by at least three witnesses,” pointed out Barbers.

This is not the first time that a ranking lawmaker urged Garma to tell everything. As early as Friday vice chairperson and Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop told Garma that she should already take a “full bath” since her feet are already wet from testifying against the drug war.

“Nabasa na iyong paa mo, maligo ko na. ’Yan ang sabi ni Congressman Barbers. Ang ibig niyang sabihin, may alam na kami, nagsabi ka na ng konti, ibuhos mo na, maligo ka na ng todo, sabihin mo na ang buong katotohanan,” Acop noted.

Last Friday, Garma confirmed that the past administration adopted a so-called “Davao template” in terms of the war against illegal drugs, where officers involved in the killing of drug suspects are rewarded.

Garma provided an affidavit wherein she said that there are three modes of payment or rewards—first, for every suspect killed; second for the planned operations; and third, the refund of operational expenses.

According to Garma, it was Duterte who contacted her about the creation of a national task force. Afterwards, Garma admitted that she tapped Leonardo—her upperclassman in the Philippine National Police Academy.

“Leonardo conducted briefings for all PDEA, IG, Regional Directors, and PNP Chiefs regarding operations. Additionally, if any individual died during police operations, Leonardo reported the incident to Bong Go for inclusion in his weekly report and requests for refunds of operational expenses,” Garma said.

“Leonardo had the final authority to determine who would be included on the list of drug personalities and to classify their threat levels, as well as the discretion to remove individuals from the list,” she added. —with reports from Emmanuel John Abris, trainee

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